GCL-Coed teams may form football alliance with Columbus schools

Scott Springer on the 16-10 win by McNicholas over Turpin Aug. 25.
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The Enquirer/Scott Springer
Cole Burdick switched to quarterback for McNicholas for his senior season.
Cole Burdick switched to quarterback for McNicholas for his senior season.(Photo: The Enquirer/Scott Springer, The Enquirer/Scott Springer)Buy Photo

With the possibility of Purcell Marian and Roger Bacon high schools departing the Greater Catholic League-Coed for the Miami Valley Conference, GCL-Coed schools proactively met with Columbus-area Catholic schools in mid-March about forming an alliance to fill out their football schedules.

The GCL-Coed/Columbus scenario would fill the void in scheduling should the league drop to six members (McNicholas, Badin from the Central Division and Alter, Chaminade-Julienne, Fenwick, and Carroll from the North). It also would be explored should Purcell Marian and Roger Bacon continue in the league.

An "Ohio Catholic Football Alliance" would meet scheduling needs and would also allow schools from both cities to perform in one-day showcase style events according to GCL-Coed Commissioner Tom Donnelly, formerly the athletic director at Walnut Hills. The Columbus schools initially reached out with the concept.

The northern schools in the proposal are Bishop Hartley, Bishop Watterson, St. Charles, Bishop Ready and St. Francis DeSales.

"They (Columbus Catholic schools) have always had scheduling issues because there's only five in their league that play football," Donnelly said. "We just talked about possibilities about how that league and our league could come together and put together a competition-based football schedule for weeks four through 10 that could meet their needs and our needs."

Should Purcell Marian and Roger Bacon depart, Donnelly is confident in a six-league GCL-Coed but admits football scheduling would be an issue. McNicholas was recently GCL-Coed Central champion at 4-3 (6-4 overall). Roger Bacon was 2-5 in the league and Purcell Marian 1-6. McNicholas has won or shared the title in all five years of the league's existence.

"This potential alliance could solve that (scheduling) if we are six," Donnelly said. "We could incorporate Purcell and Roger Bacon into this as well."

If the GCL-Coed drops to six schools, McNicholas becomes the only Cincinnati-based team. Their closest opponent would be Fenwick 47 miles away. Badin is 50 miles away, Alter 62.2, Chaminade-Julienne 65.4 and Carroll 70.3. Road trips currently run 45 to 90 minutes to those venues.

"Our position is we would make that trip (Columbus) once a season assuming one of them comes here," McNicholas athletic director Rob Heise said. "There's been some discussion of doing this in multiple sports and I personally would not be in favor of that. Our parents are driving all over the place."

McNicholas remains committed to the GCL-Coed. Member schools would like to have a handle on the direction of Purcell Marian and Roger Bacon by the end of the school year. The proposed alliance wouldn't affect league standings as there still would be a GCL-Coed champion and a Central Catholic League champ.

"It's just an opportunity for these schools to have a full football schedule," Donnelly said.